BART officials announced today that the officer involved in the fatal New Year’s Day shooting of Oscar Grant III has resigned, effective immediately.

On Monday, Officer Johannes Mehserle’s attorney postponed a meeting that had been scheduled by BART investigators for Tuesday and sought to defer the meeting until next week, according to press release from BART.

BART investigators declined the delay and scheduled a meeting with the officer for this morning. At that meeting, the officer’s attorney and his union representative submitted his resignation letter. The officer was not present, according to the release from BART.

BART investigators have urged the officer to meet and cooperate with the transit agency’s investigation into the fatal shooting, they said.

“This shooting is a tragic event in every respect for all involved,” BART General Manager Dorothy Dugger said. “We recognize that the family and friends of Oscar Grant are in mourning and we extend our condolences.”